Greek shares end sharply higher, led by banks on robust sentiment - ...

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(Updating with full report)
ATHENS (Thomson Financial) - Shares ended sharply higher, led byblue chip banks on robust sentiment after the U.S. announced overthe weekend that it would take control of giant lenders Freddie Mac (nyse: FRE - news - people ) and Fannie Mae (nyse: FNM - news - people ).
The ASE general index surged up 4.2 percent at close at 3,275.1while blue chips finished up 5.1 percent to 1,815.8.
Mid caps ended 2.1 percent higher at 3,903.0, and small caps closed0.6 percent higher at 745.3.
Advancers outnumbered decliners 160 to 62, with 101 unchanged inlower than average volume of roughly 311 million euros.
The banking sector outperformed, rising 7 percent, recovering fromrecent sell-offs. National Bank of Greece SA (nyse: NBG - news - people ) led the market and jumped 10.5 percent to close at 33.1 euros onpositive market sentiment.
Alpha Bank SA ended up 6.7 percent to 16.78 euros, and EFG EurobankErgasias SA finished up 4.1 percent to 14.16 euros.
Bank of Piraeus SA closed up 7 percent to 17.66 euros, afterannouncing it agreed to acquire an 18 percent stake of the CypriotInsurance company Atlantic for 14.1 million euros.
ATEBank SA finished up 2.6 percent to 2.3 euros after announcing ithas received two bids for the tender sale of its insurance unit.
Engineering company Metka SA shares spiked 8.4 percent to close at13.14 euros after resuming trade following the announcement thatthe company's consortium had won a 650 million euros power plantconstruction project in Syria. Parent company Mytilineos HoldingsSA also rose 6.3 percent to end at 8.04 euros.
nick.skrekas@thomsonreuters.com
ns/ra

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